Benue ranked 9th in HIV, AIDS prevalence – Ortom

Mrs Eunice Ortom, wife of Benue State Governor, on Sunday, said that the state was now ranked ninth in the current HIV/AIDS prevalence rating in the country.

Ortom, who is also the Chairman, Board of Governors for Benue State Aids Control Agency (BENSACA), said this during the launch of the “Guinness World Record on HIV Test” in Markurdi.

NAN reports that the HIV/ AIDS prevalence rate by states in Nigeria was published by National Agency for the Control of Aids (NACA) after the 2013 National Aids Reproductive Health Survey.
The rating also came as a result of test carried out on persons living with HIV/AIDS.

It showed that Rivers with 15.2 per cent topped the new prevalence chart, as Taraba with 10.5 per cent is second, while Kaduna has 9.2 per cent to be on the third.

Nasarawa, FCT, Akwa Ibom, Sokoto and Oyo are on the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth spots respectively on the prevalence rate chart.
She said Benue had over the years been rated highest in HIV and AIDS prevalence, adding that with such laudable HIV test event, it was indicative that the journey to achieving zero case was “just a mile away”.

She added that “Benue had the highest HIV/AIDS prevalence rate in Nigeria, but due to the dedicated and collaborative efforts of BENSACA and other partners, the state had been lifted to be the ninth in the country.

“Our focus over the years is to get to zero prevalence, which implies zero infections, zero HIV-related deaths and zero discrimination against persons with the virus.

The BENSACA chairman quoted a World Health Organisation (WHO) report which indicated that7,000 persons were newly infected with the virus everyday in spite of the global adoption of getting to zero case.

She said AHF planned to break the Guinness World Record on HIV test by testing 10,000 persons and issuing results to all in eight hours, thereby ensuring that people got access to testing and counseling services as urgently as possible.

The governor’s wife said “the concept of testing 10,000 persons and producing results within eight hours is, therefore, not just an exercise for the purpose of breaking the Guinness World Record, but to send a strong message to the world.

“The message is that testing is the first step to prevention and treatment of HIV and AIDS and everyone needs to know his or her status.”

In achieving zero prevalence, Mrs Ortom said, it was critical to target epidemic hot spots in mega cities to ensure equitable access to quality, cost effective HIV prevention and programmes, among others.

She said that the policy statement of UNAIDS and WHO noted that HIV testing must be anchored in a human right approach that paid due respect to ethical principles.

Ortom added that in developing counties like Nigeria, home-based HIV testing and counselling was an emerging approach toward addressing confidentiality issues.

According to her, HIV test must be confidential and must be accompanied by counselling for those who test positive with the informed consent of the person been tested.

Source: Google.

ISIS Mentions Nigeria Claiming Responsibility For Paris Attacks

The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the coordinated terror attacks that killed at least 129 people in Paris on November 13, Friday.
The terror group also mentioned Nigeria in an online statement it issued.

The terrorists said eight militants wearing explosive belts and armed with machine guns attacked specific targets in the French capital.

The message, posted on ISIS’ blog, according to a tweet by TRACterrorisim.org, reads: “O people crusaders: when you deploy forces in order to control the city Saladin and dreaming of Mosul, Sinjar, Haul, Tikrit or Huwaijah or dreaming Mayadin or Jarablus or Karmah or Tel Abyad or Al Qaim or Darnah or dream to reclaim the wilderness in the interior Nigeria or master ‘Asy’asy Sinai desert sand, then surel, WE just want ROME and paris Insyallah before before ANDALUSIA (UKK).”

#ParisAttacks ISIS blog account just posted the following: pic.twitter.com/xIueizOhV8
— TRACterrorism.org (@TRACterrorism) November 14, 2015
Several Nigerians are concerned about the message:

@TRACterrorism @Eloka51 “interiors of Nigeria”? Buhari better be at his very best. Lord keep Nigeria safe.
— Egoyibo Okoro (@Egoyibo_) November 14, 2015

@Egoyibo_ @TRACterrorism @Eloka51 , Nigeria security forces should take this message serious,
— MURTALA (@MurtalaIbin) November 14, 2015

@radewill It’s ISIS ruing the expected loss of
#BokoHaram ‘s exclaves defined with reference to Nigeria.
— Egghead Odewale (@eggheader) November 14, 2015

President Muhammadu Buhari has commiserated with the government and people of France over attacks and has called on world leaders to come together to confront terrorism.

On 7 March, the leader of the deadly Boko Haram sect, Nigerian terrorist group, Abubakar Shekau, announced his allegiance to the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

Source: Naij.com

FIFA Appoints NFF Executive Paul Bassey

The NFF executive has been appointed by the governing body to be a match commissioner for Tuesday’s 2018 World Cup qualifying cracker between the Red Devils of Congo and Walya Antelopes of Ethiopia in Brazzaville.

According a statement released by the NFF, El Fadil Mohamed Hussein will be referee, with countrymen Waleed Ahmed Ali, Mohammed Abdallah Ibrahim and Mutaz Abdelbasit Khairalla as assistant 1, assistant 2 and fourth official respectively.

Congo edged the first leg played in Addis Ababa 4- 3 on Saturday, November 14. The return leg will be played at the Stade Alphonse Massamba-Debat on Tuesday, November 17.

Bassey is  a CAF General Coordinator and instructor on Club Licensing and will work with the Sudanese referees and Egyptian Abdul Hamid Radwan, who will be the referee assessor.

Meanwhile, the Super Eagles could only earn a goalless draw in their 2018 FIFA world cup qualifying match against Swaziland .

Source: Naij.com

“Reekado Banks, Di’ja, Korede Bello don’t want to release albums” Mavin boss reveals

Don Jazzy has revealed that his Mavin superstar trio, Korede Bello, Reekado Banks , and Di’ja are not focused on releasing albums.

The three singers were signed by Don Jazzy in 2014, ushering in a new phase for the music powerhouse. They have since consistently released singles, with no indication of an album to come.

Speaking at the announcement of the Acess Mavin Concert, the Mavin Boss disclosed that the three singers are not in the process of making their LPs. And it is purely their decision.

When asked about the possibility of releasing an album, Don Jazzy replied: “If you ask them now, they will tell you they don’t want to. People drop albums and decline, it’s not good.”

On a personal level, Don Jazzy further declared that he won’t be releasing an album. The producer has seen a spike in his singing activities, but he harbours no plans to take it further.

“I am not going to release an album.” He said. “Right now, I know that I won’t be releasing an album. I might consider it, may be if am given money but right now, I don’t see myself doing that.”

Don Jazzy’s Mavin Records will set another record on December 23 this year with a marathon year-end concert holding in Lagos, the country’s commercial capital.

The Access Mavin Concert will hold at Eko Atlantic in Lagos, on December 23, 2015.

Source: Pulse.ng

Star boy "WizKid" to feature on R. Kelly’s album "The Buffet"

Wizkid is set to feature on R. Kelly ’s forthcoming album.

American R&B king, R. Kelly is set to drop his 13th studio album ‘The Buffet ‘, and it contains the Nigerian pop star, on the 18 track deluxe edition of the album.

Wizkid is featured on the 14th track on the album titled ‘I Just Want To Thank You’.
R. Kelly will get a chance to add to his tally of 40 million albums sold when he releases "The Buffet'' on RCA Records on Friday, Dec. 11.

Fans of the three-time Grammy winner don't have to wait that long for the album, which includes the summer jam 'Backyard Party' . It will be available for pre-order on iTunes, Amazon and Google Play. A release from RCA said fans who do pre-order the album will get instant downloads of "Backyard Party,'' "Wake Up Everybody'' and "Marching Band.''

Kelly, who was raised in the projects in Chicago, chose the tracks for this album from more than 450 songs he recorded over the course of the past two years.

Here is the track list:
1. The Poem
2. Poetic Sex
3. Anything Goes featuring Ty Dolla $ign
4. Let's Make Some Noise featuring Jhené Aiko
5. Marching Band featuring Juicy J
6. Switch Up featuring Lil' Wayne and Jeremih
7. Wanna Be There featuring Ariirayé
8. All My Fault
9. Wake Up Everybody
10. Get Out Of Here With Me
11. Backyard Party
12. Sextime
13. Let's Be Real Now featuring Tinashe
The deluxe version will also feature:
14. I Just Want To Thank You featuring WizKid
15. Keep Searchin'
16. Sufferin'
17. I Tried
18. Barely Breathin'

Source: Pulse.ng

Davido and manager robbed in SA

Nigerian singer, Davido, just took to his snapchat account to reveal that he and his manager have just been robbed in South Africa.

The star revealed via a snapchat video that the incident took place as they made their way to their hotel.

The robbers are said to have gotten away with watches, jewelry and their passports.
On the bright side, no injuries were sustained and no lives were lost in the robbery.

WHO to vaccinate 800,000 children against Measles

The World Health Organization (WHO) in collaboration with the Ministry of Health in Taraba State on Saturday announced plans to vaccinate no fewer than 760,128 children against measles in the state.

Mrs Mary Bajani , The UNICEF Consultant on Measles, told newsmen during "Media Orientation Workshop'' in Jalingo, that 3,999 workers had been trained for the exercise.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the exercise would hold between November 21 to November 25.

According to her, both temporary and permanent posts have been fixed at ward level to enable citizens identify locations for the exercise.
She said vaccine preventable disease had remained a major cause of under 5 morbidity and mortality in Nigeria.

``Measles burden reduction will significantly impact progress towards the attainment of the MDG4," she said.

Bajani said routine coverage remained sub-optimal in most local government areas, while the wards continued to record less than 80 per cent over the years.

``More emphasis must be laid to target children from 0 to 5 years, to curb the diseases,’’ she added.

An official of the state, Mr Philibus Daniel , said the workshop was organised to partner with the media in the fight against the child killer diseases.

Source:Pulse.ng

'Attacks on Paris despicable,' UN Secretary General speaks

UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon has described attacks on various locations in and around Paris on Friday as despicable.

In a statement issued in New York on Saturday, Ban condemned the attacks in which 127 people were killed and many others injured.

He expressed optimism that the French authorities would do all in their powers to bring the perpetrators to justice quickly.

The secretary-general extended his deepest condolences to the families of the victims and wished a speedy recovery for those injured.
The UN Chief said he stood with the government and people of France.

In a related development, members of the Security Council have said that they ``condemned in the strongest terms the barbaric and cowardly terrorist attacks.’’

The members expressed their sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims, as well as to the Government of France.
They underscored the need to bring the perpetrators of the attacks to justice.

Source: pulse.ng

Children in Need: 'Record-breaking' £37m raised by show

More than £37m has been raised so far for BBC Children in Need, beating last year's total of £32.6m.

One Direction, actress Dame Helen Mirren and Sherlock actor Martin Freeman were among the host of stars featured in Friday's fund-raising show.

Dermot O'Leary hosted this year's fundraiser, replacing Sir Terry Wogan after the 77-year-old pulled out for "health reasons".

BBC Children in Need tweeted that the total raised was a "record-breaker".

The show was also presented by Tess Daly, Fearne Cotton, Saturdays star Rochelle Humes and BBC Radio 1 DJ Nick Grimshaw.

Sir Terry pulled out for the first time since the annual TV event's launch in 1980.

The veteran TV presenter is having a procedure on his back and is understood to have withdrawn in line with doctors' advice.

O'Leary said: "Thank you so, so much.
"To Terry, I hope you're feeling better, I hope we get to enjoy a drop of the pure very soon and we're all doing you justice here."

This year a special Star Wars sketch with characters C3PO and R2-D2 was featured.
There were also performances by Selena Gomez, Years and Years, Ellie Goulding and a special appeal by Sir Tom Jones.

Source: BBC News

Adele song Hello goes platinum after three weeks

Adele's comeback single Hello has achieved platinum sales status three weeks after it was released.

The chart-topping song has sold more than 600,000 copies, earning it a commendation from the British Phonographic Industry.

Hello sold 34,000 more copies than this week's number two, Justin Bieber's Sorry, and was the most-streamed track with 4.7 million listens.
Elvis Presley's If I Can Dream was the number one album for a second week.

Presley's classic songs, reworked with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, had a better run that its first week with 88,600 combined sales.

It is just short of the 2015 record set by Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds, who sold 89,110 copies of Chasing Yesterday in March.

Former X Factor winners Little Mix's third album, Get Weird, charted at number two, while Ellie Goulding's third solo album Delirium entered the charts at three.

A re-issue of The Beatles' album 1, which originally spent nine weeks at number one in 2000, also made the top five.

Ed Sheeran set a new record as his album x became the longest reigning in the top 10 for a British artist.

It has been in the chart for 73 consecutive weeks after being released in June 2014.
Adele's long awaited new album 25 is due for release on 20 November.

Pope calls Paris terrorist attacks part of 'piecemeal WWIII'

The acts of terrorism which took place in Paris Friday night are the latest part in what Pope Francis has called a “piecemeal World War III,” describing the attacks as “inhuman.”

“There is no justification for these things,” the pontiff said in a phone interview Saturday with TV 2000 , the official broadcasting station for the Italian Bishops Conference.

Speaking in response to the Nov. 13 attacks, which are the deadliest acts of violence the city has seen since the World War II, the Pope said he is “moved and pained” by what happened, and expressed his closeness to those affected by the tragedy.

“I am close to the people of France, to the families of the victims, and I am praying for all of them,” he said.

“These things are hard to understand,” he said, adding that he “loves France very much.”

At least 128 people are confirmed dead and more than 180 wounded in terrorist attacks which targeted bars, restaurants, a concert hall, and a football stadium in the heart of Paris on Nov. 13. Around 80 people are listed in critical condition, according to the BBC.

The deadliest attack came when militants overtook the Bataclan concert hall, in which at least 82 people were killed, after the terrorists had seized dozens of hostages.

Eyewitnesses reported hearing the terrorists cry out “Allahu Akbar!” – Arabic for “God is Great!” The terrorists carried out the siege with suicide bombs and semi-automatic weapons. Police have said all eight attackers are dead.

In the wake of the attacks, Paris archbishop Cardinal André Vingt-Trois in a Nov. 14 statement appealed for the grace to be “artisans of peace.” He stressed that “we must never despair of peace if we are to build justice.

“Faced with the violence of men,” he said, “we can receive the grace of a steadfast heart without hate.” The French prelate called for people to not give in to panic or hatred.

“This morning I pray and I invite the Catholics of Paris to pray for those who were killed yesterday and for their families,” Cardinal André Vingt-Trois continued. He also called for prayers for the injured, those working to help those affected by the crisis, and the nation's leaders in order that they “remain together in unity and peace of heart.

"We ask for the grace to be artisans of peace. We must never despair of peace, if you justice," he said.

The BBC reports that French president Francois Hollande has called the attacks “an act of war” by ISIS.

The French president declared a nationwide state of emergency soon after the rampage began and closed the country's borders. Parisians were urged to stay in doors.

This is the second and deadlier of two sieges against Paris by Islamic terrorists in 2015. 12 people were killed on Jan. 7 when Islamic terrorists stormed the headquarters of satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo.

Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, sent a telegram to Cardinal Vingt-Trois on behalf of Pope Francis, assuring the archbishop of Paris of his prayers for those affected by “horrific terrorist attacks.”

“The Holy Father vigorously condemns violence, which cannot solve anything,” the telegram reads, according to Vatican Radio's translation of the message which was originally written in French.

“He asks God to inspire thoughts of peace and solidarity in all and to impart on families in this trial and on all of the French people, the abundance of His Blessings.”

The telegram by saying the Pope prays that God might “welcome the victims into the peace of His light and bring comfort and hope to the injured and their families,” and assured his “spiritual closeness” to the French people.

Source: Catholic News

Doctors Found Permanent Cure for Sickle Cell Anaemia

Doctors at the University of Ibadan in partnership with the University of Illinois, Chicago, USA and University of Loyola, Chicago have discovered a permanent cure for Sickle Cell Anaemia.

Over five million Nigerians suffer from Sickle Cell Anaemia, a severe hereditary form of anaemia in which a mutated form of hemoglobin distorts the red blood cells into a crescent shape at low oxygen levels.

Professor of Medicine, Victor Gordeuk, who is the Director, Sickle Cell Centre, University of Illinois, Chicago, USA and his colleagues, Prof. Damiano Rondelli and Prof. Bamidele Tayo, University of Loyola, Chicago claim the cure is bone marrow transplant.

The experts accompanied by the Chief Medical Director, UCH, Prof. Temitope Alonge, Dr. Titilola Akingbola, a haematologist and Dr. Foluke Fasola explained that the stem cell transplant is a standard procedure for the treatment of many blood cancers in both adult and children.

He said “With this chemotherapy-free transplant, we are curing adults with sickle cell disease, and we see that their quality of life improves fast within just one month of the transplant.

“About 90 per cent of the approximately 450 patients who have received stem cell transplants for sickle cell disease have been children.

Chemotherapy has been considered too risky for adult patients, who are often more weakened than children by the disease.

“Adults with sickle cell disease can now be cured without chemotherapy — the main barrier that has stood in the way for them for so long. Our data provide more support that this therapy is safe and effective and prevents patients from living shortened lives, condemned to pain and progressive complications.”

“In the new procedure, patients receive immuno-suppressive drugs just before the transplant, along with a very low dose of total body irradiation, a treatment much less harsh and with fewer potentially serious side effects than chemotherapy.

“ Donor cells from a healthy and tissue-matched sibling are transfused into the patient. Stem cells from the donor produce healthy new blood cells in the patient, eventually in sufficient quantity to eliminate symptoms. In many cases, sickle cells can no longer be detected. Patients must continue to take immunosuppressant drugs for at least a year.”